Loose-leaf binder



May 7, 1929.

,1. E. BREWER LUOSE LEAF BINDER Fil ed March 22, 1927 Patented May 7, 1929.

som STATES} asserts n. BREWER, or

SEATTLE, wesnrii'eron.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Application filed March 22, 1927. Serial No.- 17'7,395

This invention relates to an improvement in loose leaf binders wherein the leaf-engagingmeans is in the form of flexible elements adapted to be adjusted with respect totheir projection beyond the leaf supporting sur face to tl'iercby acconnnodate any desirednuinber of leaves and to fixedly clamp said.

caves in iinoin re a all .r l l l U l tion is desired lheinvention comprises a bas eyhaving a r housing at one end containing ajlongitudh nal right an l leftl and threaded shaf I Menn hers are movable on the threaded portion of the shaft and coopcrable therewith so asto move in opposite directions the shaft is rotated. Flexible filing; elements are carried. by the members and project through the housing to receive the sheets to be held on the binder. means whereby it may be rotated in either direction at will, with such means adjustable to an operative position or to a substantially concealed position so that through the rotation of the shaft and corresponding movement of the members, the flexible filing elements may be projected to loosen the sheets or receive additional sheets or withdrawn to bind the filed sheets onto the housing.

The invention is illustrated, in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a broken plan view of the improved bindor.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on line 2-2 of Figure 1. v

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional detail showing the shaft operating member projected to permit convenient operation of the shaft.

The improved binder comprises a base plate or back board 1 of any appropriate or convenient size and preferably though not necessaf. y of metal. At one end this base plate is formed or provided with a substanti ally rectangular housing 2 in whichpreferably though not necessarily in the ends of the housing is rotatably mounted a shaft 8 divided into two distinctive operatingportions, one of which is formed with a right hand thread at l and the other of which is formed with a left hand thread at 5.

Block-like followers 6 are mounted on the respective threaded portions of the shaft and held against independent rotation in the housing. These followers, which of course have appropriate threaded connection with the The shaft is provided with shaft portions, are eaohprovided with a flexible thongdikefiling element 7 which may be of leather; flexible wire or other appropriate material.- These iiling elements project through openings in the housing and on tend above the upper surface thereof to reeeive the sheets to he filed. The sheets of the filing elements as is usual in this type of binder; and the free terminals of the'liling elements are preferably threaded at.8 to receive nuts orother terminal enlargements 9 to act as the binding element. :Where the liling' elements are of flexible wire,fthe terminals may be readily threaded, and where such elements are of other material, as forexample leathenthey may be provided with fixed metallic caps adapted to be threaded or may be appropriately formed otherwise to form binding terminals.

In binders of this character it has been quently happens that when the binder is to be opened or closed considerable effort is required to find the key. ()ne of the objects of the present invention is to dispense with this liability by providing a shaft which will be and remain a more or less permanent inseparable part of the structure. To secure this result the shaft at one end is formed with a non-circular longitudinally ranging channel 10 in which is slidably mounted a correspondingly shaped operating rod 11, means here shown as a pin 12 projecting from the shaft and seated in a groove 13 in the operator tendingto prevent complete separation of the operating rod and shaft. At an appropriate distance from its free end, the operating rod is formed inits hingedly connected sections preferably by bifurcating one section, as at 14, and forming the other section with a projection 15 tofit between the bifurcations and be pivot-ally secured thereto by a pivot pin 16. The free end of the outermost or pivotally connected section 17 of the operating rod is provided with a button 18.

hen it is desired to loosen or tighten the binder element of the filing element by causing the followers to, move toward or away from each other by obvions operation of the shaft, the operating rod is moved longitudinally of the shaft until the pivotally connect it course are formedwith openings to engage r ed portion 17 may be turned laterally at a right angle to the shaft to serve as a crank. The shaft may thus be operated in the appropriate direction and to the extent desired, whereupon the operating rod, may be returned to its inoperative position when it will be housed within the shaft and practically out of the way, while at the same time conveniently accessible for operating purposes when desired.

Operation of the shaft in one direction will cause the followers to move toward each other, thereby lengthening the projection of the filing elements beyond the housing to either loosen the papers already in the binder or to provide additional lengths of filing elements to receive additional papers. Operation of the shaft in the opposite direction will move the binding elements 9 toward the housing to thereby firmly clamp and bind the filed sheets. Obviously, if desired. an upper binding board or cover plate may be used, though such is not absolutely essential for the proper binding function.

What I claim to be new is:

A loose leaf binder comprising a fiat base with an inter-gral housing at one end, said housing extending above the upper surface of the base to form a support for the binding ends of the leaves, a shaft mounted between the end walls of the housing and provided with right and left hand threads, a block having a threaded opening thru which the right-hand threaded portion of the shaft passes, a second block having a threaded opening thru which the left-hand threaded portion of the block passes, both blocks fitting! in the housing and. guided thereby, a flexible member extending from the upper part of each block and thru openings formed in the top of the housing, a bolt portion on the end of each of the flexible members and a nut threaded on the bolt to retain the sheets of paper held by the flexible members whereby one of the nuts may be removed at a time to receive added sheets.

In testimony whereof I afl ix my signature.

JEROME E, BREWER. 

